Japan Concierge's Travelog: Nagano

Showing posts with label Nagano. Show all posts

Sunday, January 27, 2013

National Treasure, Zenkoji Temple

In this time, we came to Nagano city, which is known for Nagano Olympic. Near Nagano station, there is a very old and famous temple, called Zenkoji temple. It is about 25 minutes walk or 15 minutes by bus from the station.

If you walk to the temple, you can see the square which was used for awards ceremony of the Olympic.

Walking to the temple, you will see the first gate, Niomon (Deva gate). Two guardian deities welcome you for the temple. Take a look at the sophisticated carvings.

Going through the Deva gate, next you will see Wet Jizo and Six Jizo on the right side. Jizo is a Bodhisattva, a deity who postponed Buddha hood to save others. Wet Jizo serves as a prayer for protection of the temple from fire. Six Jizos are our protectors of the next six realms; hell, hungry ghosts, animals, Asura, humans and heavenly beings. Each of these Jizo protects one of the six realms.

Can you see the sixth Jizo in front puts her leg outside? This Jizo is ready to save people as soon as she can.

Finally you can see the main hall. It is said that the start of this temple is about 1400 years ago. Since it started in the very old time even Buddhism has not been completely established in Japan, this temple welcome all prayers, regardless of gender, creed or any religious belief.

Would you like to try Buddhism training? In the underneath of this mail hall, there is a pitch-black tunnel which you can walk in and can touch the key to Heaven. I was so scared to go in the tunnel because it was totally black, absolutely no light! I had to walk only by touching the right side wall. This is the lesson of Buddhism, you can engage in self-reflection and spiritual awakening.

Then what is actually in the back of the door keyed in the tunnel? In there, it is said that the oldest Buddha image in Japan are enshrined. However, anbody hasnot seen the hidden image for more than 1300 years even the monks in this temple, so it is a mystery here if the image exists or not. Even the copy of the image can be seen once seven years.

After the Buddha lesson, let's walk around the temple. Restaurants and souvenir shops are there. At Sake shop Yoshinoya (not the beef bowl chain) on the sidewalk of the temple, you can try sake tasting and can see inside of sake factory.

Find your favorite Sake!

Around this temple, there are 39 lodgings for pilgrims as well. Each lodge has Buddha hall and its monk, sometimes the monk can guide you in Zenkoji temple. For dinner, you can taste vegetarian meal for pilgrims. If you visit Zenkoji temple, you can stay at these lodgings.

Nagano Shinkansen (bullet train) is the most convenient to go to Nagano. It takes about 1.5 hours from Tokyo.

Zenkoji Temple

http://www.zenkoji.jp/ENGLISH/about/index.html

491, Motoyoshi-cho, Nagano city, Nagano ZIP: 380-0851

Admission fee needed to enter the mail hall and black tunnel, JPY500 per person.

The hall is open from 8:00 to 16:00, it changes a little by seasons.

Experience Japan!

View Zenkoji Temple in a larger map

Sunday, December 30, 2012

Kambayashi Onsen, Jinpyokaku

If you are planning to visit Snow Monkey Park in Nagano prefecture, try to stay at a Japanese Ryokan (Inn) with hot springs. Kanbayashi hot spring resort is located in mountain area and 2km (1.2 mile) away from the park. The area has quiet atmosphere, and you can tell why this area was loved by many famous writers and artists.

This time, we stayed at Jinpyokaku in Kanbayashi hot spring resort. This inn has 110 years of history, and Yasunari Kawabata (won the Nobel Prize for Literature) and Soseki Natsume (was on the 1000 JPY bill before) also stayed at this inn to write.

The rooms are all Japanese style, and this is our room. Nagano's winter is very cold, but the room has a Kotatsu, which is a low table with electric heater installed and covered by a futon. Please enjoy Japanese heating system and relax in it. We love kotatsu. Also, the inn serves towels, amenity supplies, and yukata (cotton kimono style room wear), so you really do not have to bring anything to stay at this inn.

The highlight of this inn is spa, of course! This inn uses 100% fresh spring water and does not recycle it. They have separate men's and women's indoor spas, and an open-air women's bath, and surprisingly, an open-air mixed-gender bath. It was the first time for me as well to soak in the mixed-gender bath. If you are brave, try it once in your life time??

In the mixed-gender bath, a woman can wear a simple wear to hide your breast and hip, but a man cannot wear anything. There are only 6 rooms in this inn, so there are not many chances to meet people in the spa... but I was embarrassed a little. (An old lady was soaking in the mixed-gender bath totally naked, and said that nobody was looking and no worry! She was awesome :) )

The dinner and breakfast were good, too. Every time, the landlady writes menus in handwriting and also cooks for us. This was the menu on this night (sorry Japanese though), it was actually Christmas Eve. We ate delicious shabushabu made with Shinshu quality beef from cows raised on apples. And do not forget to taste Japanese local sake.

Here is breakfast. At first sight, we thought we cannot eat all, but we ate all...

Jinpyokaku has English speaking staff, and offers free transfer service from Yudanaka station to the inn. (It takes 10-15 minutes by car.) The inn accepts credit cards. Check-in time is from 3 pm and check-out time is by 10 am. The price is about from JPY19,000 per person. (Dinner and breakfast are included.)

http://www.jinpyo.jp/eng/
Kambayashi Onsen, Yamanouchi-machi, Shimotakai-gun, Nagano Prefecture, 381-0401, Japan

Experience Japan!

Sunday, December 23, 2012

Matsumoto Castle - "Crow Castle"

We came to Matsumoto city in Nagano prefecture today to visit Matsumoto Castle. Today's highest temperature is 0 Celsius degrees! It is freezing.

If you would like to see a castle in central Japan area, visit Matsumoto Castle. This castle is designated as National Treasure of Japan and the oldest castle donjon remaining in Japan, constructed in 1592. Because of the elegant black walls, Matsumoto Castle is sometimes called 'Crow Castle'.

By the way, how many floors do you think this castle has? It looks 5 floors, but actually there are 6 floors in it. You cannot see from outside, but there is a floor between 2nd and 3rd. When the battle started, samurais got together on this floor to protect themselves. There is no window on this floor.

Also, when you look at roof tiles carefully, you will notice that there are some kinds of tiles of family crests. This is because the owner of this castle changed frequently, the total feudal lords of this castle is 23 in the end.

Let's go inside of the castle!

Each floor is fitted with holes for firing weapons. This long rectangular hole is for shooting arrows at the attacking enemy. There are square holes also, and they are for firing guns.

The steepest stair of this castle is 61 degree because the stairs are installed between pillars. No elevator at this time...

This castle was constructed in the age of Civil Wars, so the black wall castle was to protect and fight. The wall is about 30cm thickness, and fewer windows are installed. You can see the armor and the picture of the battle displayed.

The view of the feudal lord from the top floor! The water filled in the moat is spring water, not the water from a river. This can be done because this area is famous for springs and clean water like Switzerland.

From Matsumoto station to Matsumoto Castle, it takes 5 minutes by bus and 15 minutes on foot. (The bus runs every 30 minutes and the fare is JPY190 per person.) The bus is cute like a ladybug.